First spec sale post strike takes place in ARENA!

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.latinoreview.com/news/first-spec-sale-post-strike-takes-place-in-arena-4038

Date: February 29, 2008

By: El Mayimbe
Source: El Mayimbe

Hollywoodreporter recently did an article on how slow it has been post strike with development deals and script sales. It does seem a tad bit quiet.

Well, things look like they are beginning to pick up again!

We have exclusively learned and I am happy to report, that the first spec sale of the season post strike is the script ARENA by writers Toby Wagstaff and Darren Howell. ARENA sold to Paramount with Benderspink producing.

The script sounds really hot, here is the logline -

A crack troop of US Army Rangers on a mission in Iraq are inexplicably transported to a futuristic battlefield called Arena. Our Rangers quickly learn that this bizarre controlled environment is populated by some of the greatest armies history - and the future - has ever known. In order to win safe passage home our Rangers must play by Arena's rules, which are simple: fight or die.

Congratulations to the writers and especially to Paramount for pulling the trigger. Spec sales are healthy for the industry and it is good to see the ball rolling again.

Expect a formal announcement from the trades later confirming our scoop.

 

[Alex The Great]

cool

 

[Gotham]

I love how they tease you with a tiny morsel of the screenplay as the picture. Pretty wicked concept, actually.

 

[cerealkiller182]

The conceptstarted out weak. Soldiers in thefutureand then totally picked up with the best armies in history angle.

 

[Galactus]

Summit Enters Arena
Source: Variety April 28, 2008


Summit Entertainment has bought sci-fi action thriller Arena, written by new screenwriters Toby Wagstaff and Darren Howell, reports Variety.

The story centers on a group of modern-day soldiers who are mysteriously transported from the thick of battle to a terrain-shifting landscape where they must fight the best warriors of all different eras and histories in a gladiatorial fight to the death -- or be killed by the all-powerful operators of the "Arena."

 

[Gotham]

I was trying to find this thread. Much appreciated, Galactus!

Hopefully this will be made. Concept sounds quite good.

 

[Joker]

The only problem I have with that idea is that you just know the rangers are going to come out on top, showing that todays military is the best, not only in history, but that it'll ever be, so come on guys, just like, totally join the army! USA USA USA!

 

[Catman]

The only problem I have with that idea is that you just know the rangers are going to come out on top, showing that todays military is the best, not only in history, but that it'll ever be, so come on guys, just like, totally join the army! USA USA USA!

lol. Yea. With this and G.I. Joe we're gonna have a fun 2009.

 

[Joker]

G.I. Joe arent even American in there movie though. Snake Eyes is FRENCH. He's going to sneak up on people, consider killing them, then immediatly surrender.

 

[Gotham]

The only problem I have with that idea is that you just know the rangers are going to come out on top, showing that todays military is the best, not only in history, but that it'll ever be, so come on guys, just like, totally join the army! USA USA USA!

Well... there has to be a twist, I'm sure, and hopefully the film isn't predictable.

 

[Pink Ranger]

So this is the movie version of Heroscape.

 

[turtlefocker]

Sounds cool

 

[Galactus]

Jeff Wadlow Enters The "Arena"
By Garth Franklin Friday July 17th 2009 12:36AM
Jeff Wadlow ("Never Back Down") is set to direct the sci-fi action film "Arena" for Summit Entertainment says The Hollywood Reporter.

Toby Wagstaff and Darren Howell's screenplay revolves around a group of modern-day soldiers transported to a shifting landscape, where they are forced to face off against the best warriors from different eras in gladitorial battle.

The director had been working on the prison-escape action project "The Tomb" at the studio until it stalled, the studio then moved him over to 'Arena'. Chris Bender, J.C. Spink, Jim Thompson, Alex Franklin and Jonah Loop are producing.

 

[Octoberist]

God, it sounds so familiar of a storyline.